The Retail Experience Show

A Sweet Journey: An Interview with Pat Egan, CEO of See’s Candies

In this delightful episode of The Retail Experience Show, Bobby interviews Pat Egan, the insightful President & CEO of See's Candies. Pat shares his journey to leading one of America's most iconic confectionery companies. Key topics discussed include customer experience, innovation, maintaining brand identity, and adapting to the digital age, offering valuable insights for retail operators. 
[NOTE: This interview was originally recorded in November 2021]
Key topics discussed:
 
Pat's background and journey to See's Candies: Pat shares how his prior experiences have prepared him for the role of CEO and how they influenced his approach to leading See's Candies. Retail operators can learn from Pat's leadership style and the importance of bringing diverse experiences to their own businesses.
The importance of customer experience: Pat emphasizes that a strong customer experience is at the core of See's Candies' success. Retail operators can take away the importance of understanding their customers' needs and desires, focusing on creating an environment that fosters loyalty and repeat business.
Innovation in products and customer interactions: Pat discusses how innovation is essential for staying relevant in the market. He encourages retail operators to think beyond product offerings, considering innovative ways to engage with customers both in-store and online to drive customer satisfaction and increase sales.
Maintaining brand identity: Pat highlights the importance of preserving the essence of the brand while adapting to changing market conditions. Retail operators can learn the value of staying true to their brand's core values and messaging, which helps maintain customer trust and loyalty.
Adapting to the digital age: Pat shares insights into how See's Candies has embraced technology to improve customer experience and streamline operations. Retail operators can consider investing in technology to enhance their customer experience, optimize inventory management, and maximize the efficiency of their operations.

adidas’s Jonathan Muir on Creating Customer Communities Through Retail Activation

On today’s episode of the Retail Experience Show, Bobby speaks with Jonathan Muir, Director of Retail Activation at adidas. They discuss what retail activation is and how it can be used to increase acquisition and engagement by focusing on the products, stories, and experiences a brand presents to its customers. They also discuss ways to achieve true omnichannel engagement, how to measure retail activation’s success, and how the future of brick-and-mortar will be found in one-to-one experiences.
 
Topics discussed:
 
How Jonathan created Baseline, a niche sneaker business, and worked for Nike on ways to increase personalization before becoming the Director of Retail Activation at adidas.
What a day in the life of a retail activation director looks like, from connecting with retailers on the ground to overseeing how customers perceive the brand, its products, and its stories when they walk in the door.
What retail activation is, and how it can ignite product, marketing, and operations to create a blaze for a brand.
Why brands need to constantly be creating and iterating around retail experiences for their customers — not just do something once a quarter or year.
Advice for brands who want to lean further into retail activation, and how brick-and-mortar can be used as an acquisition channel to create brand fans.
How to achieve true omnichannel marketing through data collection that drives customers back into the store.
Why the future of retail will be found in brick-and-mortar retailers creating communities for customers that they can't find online.